I recently graduated from high school in Prince George, B.C. . I have anaplylactic allergies to peanuts and nuts and at every step of my education, primary and high school, people have been kind and understanding of my condition. Granted there have been a few bumps along the way, but I'm still here today which is a testament to those who have helped my along the way. However, this has all changed in a matter of months concerning the University of Alberta. I applied and was accepted to the university and I believed everything would work out fine. I was planning to stay in residence with my friend and enjoy life away from home for the first time. Yet, when we contacted the university about meals, they said that they could not accomodate me under any circumstances. Which is strange because they could somehow accomodate diabetics, celiacs, and people who had special dietary and religious diets. WIth persistence, it seemed we were making progress with the university. There was even the possibility of an all-allergy floor (which other universities do). However, today the final blow was dealt. The University of Alberta said that they would not allow me to live in the residence building. They solution is for me to live in a more expensive place on campus where I will also have to buy and cook my own food. How on earth is this appropriate accomodation? Is it truly that hard for the university to warn others at residence that there are people residing in the building with a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and nuts? I know I have written a lot, but my family and I are starting to run out of answers for this mess. If you have any ideas they would be greatly appreciated.

First of all, congratulations on being accepted into university. I just want to pass on my own son's experience on being accepted into Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario a year ago. While we planned all along that he would commute from home each day (his choice), we still approached the food services on campus as if he would be living in residence. We met with the head of Sodexho (the food manager) and she assured us that my son could be accomodated. One of the on-campus cafeterias was specifically designed to sell food by the piece so that he could purchase fresh fruits and things but he could also walk into any cafeteria, ask for the manager on duty, and they would walk him through the different offerings that day to point out which areas where safe for him. (The cafeterias are set up as a collection of bistros.) The head manager was willing to make herself available to my son if he had any concerns. I'm sorry to hear that your experience has not been so accomodating

_________________Mom of 21 yr old son with peanut/nut allergy & environmental allergies

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